The subject of this patent application relates generally to structures and manufacturing techniques for lenses and related mounting supports, and more particularly to lens mount apparatuses and methods configured for producing lenses with integral mounting supports yet without compromising the lens optics.
Applicant(s) hereby incorporate herein by reference any and all patents and published patent applications cited or referred to in this application.
By way of background, lenses are generally classified by the curvature of the two (front and back) optical surfaces, each of which are typically spherical, or made up of a part of the surface of a sphere. A lens is biconvex if both surfaces are convex, biconcave if both surfaces are concave, or concave-convex or meniscus if one surface is convex and the other surface is concave. If one of the surfaces is flat, the lens is plano-convex or plano-concave depending on the curvature of the surface of the lens opposite the flat surface. The most common type of lens in ophthalmology or for use as a “corrective” or “prescription” lens is essentially a positive meniscus. Other kinds of specialized lenses include toric or sphero-cylindrical lenses and aspheric lenses, having one or more non-spherical surfaces, cylindrical lenses, Fresnal lenses, lenticular lenses, gradient index lenses, axicons, and superlenses.
The process of forming finished lenses of virtually any shape or configuration has traditionally been accomplished through a glass lens blank manufacturing process or essentially a casting process wherein a glass powder is melted and poured into the lens blank cavity and then annealed. More recently, with the advent and improved technology of thermoplastic materials such as polycarbonate, injection molding of lens blanks has become the preferred method of producing many kinds of lenses, including ophthalmic or corrective or prescription lenses. In either case—glass or plastic—where corrective lenses are to be formed, the “prescription” curvature is cut or ground into the lens blank to produce the finished lens with the desired optical properties. The challenge in both initially forming the lens blank and then in cutting into the blank the desired curvature to form the finished lens is to not introduce distortion or stress into the lens that would adversely affect its optical qualities.
As is known, finished lenses in the case of traditional ophthalmic use are then mounted in frames or support structure of some kind so as to be worn for effective optical performance, such as vision correction in the case of traditional eyewear with nose and ear pieces. In this application, the lenses are effectively snapped into position within eyewear frames, such as within inwardly-opening retention grooves of the frame designed to match the perimeter or profile of the lens, or the lens cut to match the frame profile, or the lenses are otherwise mounted or secured by screwing or fastening a retaining member to the main part of the frame so as to clamp the lens in place. Even lenses in other contexts such as telescopes or microscopes must be mounted or held in the desired position for the passage of light therethrough or the reflection of light thereof. Oftentimes, corrective lenses are incorporated into or used in conjunction with further lenses, whether for additional optical properties or to provide a protection or safety function or both, such as in protective helmets, hoods, face shields, visors and the like or simply as part of eyewear for sports or other recreational use such as sunglasses and goggles. Other contexts for lenses in this modern age relate to “virtual reality” headsets, “heads up” displays, and the like. In virtually all such contexts, it is desirable to not just produce but be able mount the lens within a support structure whereby the lens may be held and positioned where needed without causing any distortion or otherwise adversely affecting the optical properties of the lens.
In short, the variety and increasing complexity of lens applications and the attendant challenges of properly manufacturing and mounting such lenses has resulted in needs that have heretofore gone unmet in the industry.
As further background, U.S. Pat. No. 8,814,349 entitled “One-Piece Lens with Surplus Inner Optical Material” is directed to a one-piece lens made from optical material that includes an outside part and an inside part, in which the inside parts comprise a surplus amount of the same optical material as the lens, for the purpose of cutting ophthalmic lenses, the surplus material being positioned close to the central part of the lens. While there is thus provided at least some teaching of a unitary lens construction having an inner prescription lens portion and a relatively larger outer lens portion, no provision is made for integrating or forming the lens with any mounting supports, much less doing so without compromising the lens optics.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,025,395 entitled “Industrial Safety Goggles with Frame for Ophthalmic Micas and Impact Protection Mica” is directed to industrial safety goggles provided with permanent ophthalmic micas having a full impact protection mica positioned thereon, wherein the impact protection mica is made from polycarbonate, providing protection against ultraviolet rays and can be removed, thereby enabling the frames to be used as ophthalmic glasses. The goggles include a ventilation area and the ophthalmic micas have an improved visual field owing to the design of the frame to which they are mounted and fixed using angular incisions in the frame. The frame is provided with an open space at both eyes between the mica and the end of the rim, which provides ventilation and prevents the fogging of the graduated micas.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,641,333 entitled “Protective Eyewear Including Auxiliary Lenses” is directed to an eyewear assembly including an outer first frame, at least one outer first lens, an inner second frame, and at least one inner second lens. The assembly includes a mechanism for holding the first frame and first lens in front of a user's face. The second frame has a mechanism for attachment to the first frame, to hold the second frame between the user's eyes and the first lens. The at least one second lens is carried by the second frame. The second frame includes a first frame portion that mounts the second lens and a second frame portion over-molded onto the first frame portion defining portions of the outside surface area of the second frame. The first frame portion is of a relatively hard material and the second frame portion is of a relatively soft material. A shock-absorbing pad can be fit between the first and second frames.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,502,937 entitled “Eyewear with Prescription Lens Inserts” is directed to eyewear comprising an eyewear frame, at least one lens in the eyewear frame, and an attachment device for holding a prescription lens insert so that the prescription lens insert is held in position adjacent the lens of the eyewear thereby to correct the vision of a wearer of the eyewear.
Once more, the art neither discloses nor suggests lens mount apparatuses and methods configured for producing lenses with integral mounting supports yet without compromising the lens optics as by inducing stresses or distortion in the lens. Aspects of the present invention fulfill these needs and provide further related advantages as described in the following summary.